Russia recalls Israeli ambassador after attack on journalists in Lebanon

Russia summoned Israel’s ambassador to Moscow, Oded Joseph, this Friday (20), to present a formal protest against the Israeli airstrike that hit a team of journalists from the RT channel in southern Lebanon.

The bombing, which occurred on Thursday (19), injured correspondent Steve Sweeney and cameraman Ali Rida Sbeity, who were reporting at the scene. The Russian government claims that the attack was directed against unarmed civilians and disputes the version that it was accidental.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko received the Israeli ambassador and formalized the protest on behalf of the Russian government.

According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, Moscow demanded clarification about the attack and requested a full investigation into the circumstances of the incident, as well as measures to prevent similar episodes.

🚨BREAKING — British journalist Steve Sweeney has been targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/zmU4WV3MG4

— Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) March 19, 2026

Russian diplomacy also stated that the bombing cannot be considered accidental and indicated that it awaits a response from international organizations. In parallel, the Russian government appealed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to condemn the attack, citing international standards aimed at protecting journalists in conflict zones.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova classified the episode as a “targeted” attack and stated that the professionals affected were unarmed civilians.

According to her, the team wore vests with visible press identification and only carried reporting equipment at the time of the bombing.

In a statement, the Russian embassy in Lebanon stated that it was “difficult to believe” that the attack occurred by mistake and reiterated that journalists are protected by international humanitarian law. The diplomatic representation also declared that actions against professionals on mission are unacceptable and must be investigated.

Cameraman Ali Rida stated that the team was directly targeted in the attack, while correspondent Steve Sweeney stated that there was no prior warning and accused Israeli forces of deliberately trying to target the group.

The episode occurs amid the escalation of the war of aggression led by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has expanded into Lebanese territory.